The well-known ferry operator – owned by Dubai-based logistics giant, DP World – announced yesterday that it was not only cancelling all of its services for the next few days, but it would also be sacking 800 members of staff with no notice via a video message, claiming it was “not a viable business” in its current state.
The move is believed to affect everyone, from captains and check-in staff, to engine room staff, loaders, and cleaners.
Insisting that the decision to cut jobs was “very difficult but necessary” to plug its losses, P&O Ferries said in a statement regarding its decision: “P&O Ferries plays a critical role in keeping trade flowing, supply chains moving, and connecting families and friends across the North and Irish seas and the English Channel, [and] we have been at the heart of this service for years and we are committed to serving these vital routes.
“However, in its current state, P&O Ferries is not a viable business as we have made a £100m loss year on year, which has been covered by our parent DP World.
“This is not sustainable.”
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Regretfully, P&O Ferries services are unable to run for the next few hours. Our Port Teams will guide you and travel will be arranged via an alternative operator.
We apologise for the inconvenience this will have on your journey plans.
Today we've announced changes to P&O Ferries. While we make these changes, many of our services will not be running over the next few days. Please visit our website for information on https://t.co/iKRph5GGeu
The company said that all staff affected will be served with “enhanced” severance packages, and called this “necessary” to protect its remaining 2,200 staff.
Travellers are being told to make “alternative arrangements” to cancelled services.
Since the news broke of P&O’s decision to make workers redundant and cancel all upcoming services for a few days, the company has been hit with immediate and growing backlash, with the move having been branded “vicious” and “appalling”, and many transport unions urging staff to protest against the treatment they’ve received.
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Today 800 @POferries workers were sacked immediately. If this happens at P&O it can happen anywhere and we are calling for mass trade union and wider public mobilisation and protest against the company and to support these workers. Please support the following demonstrations pic.twitter.com/Hazlg0ZELM
Outraged by the decision, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) described the move as a “vicious example of despotic employer behaviour” and called for demonstrations in Dover, Liverpool, and Hull today – where P&O Ferries most-commonly conducts passenger and freight services to and from.
The union’s general secretary, Mick Lynch, said the decision is “a kick in the teeth to the hard-working members of staff who have kept the business running through the global health crisis”.
Important to note other operators continue to run cross Channel routes, so passengers and goods can flow, but I am working with the Kent Resilience Forum to minimise disruption. (2/2)
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says he is “very concerned about the news”, and insisted that he would be speaking to the company today to understand the impact on workers and passengers.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham tweeted simply saying: “Boycott P&O Ferries.”
Featured Image – P&O Ferries
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‘Please help me’ – Video shows domestic violence perpetrator screaming as police dog brings him down
Daisy Jackson
Greater Manchester Police has released a video of a police dog assisting in the arrest of a high-risk domestic violence perpetrator.
In the video, the 26-year-old suspect can be heard screaming and pleading for help as PD Kyp bites down on his thigh.
GMP says that the man had already been arrested for a serious assault on his partner yesterday morning (Thursday 7 November).
He had been handcuffed but managed to resist and escape officers, and the police dog and his handler were deployed to track him down in the nearby woodland.
The suspect had been kicking PD Kyp in the head and body, leading to the police dog biting his leg and taking him to the floor while officers caught up.
In the bodycam footage, the suspect screams ‘please help me’ and ‘he’s bitten my leg’.
District officers also discovered a large quantity of Class A drugs and weapons at the property in Hyde.
Watch a GMP police dog assist in the arrest of a domestic violence suspect (WARNING footage may be distressing)
#ARREST | Police Dog Kyp steps in to arrest dangerous offender wanted for domestic abuse, drugs and weapons offences.
PD Kyp immediately headed into the woodland and chased the man. The man was bitten around the thigh and taken to the floor.
The man was arrested on suspicion of serious assault, possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of offensive weapons (zombie knifes and machetes).
Following the chase with PD Kyp, the man was then further arrested on suspicion of escaping from lawful custody. He has been remanded into custody.
Superintendent Paul Walker, of GMP’s Specialist Operations Branch, said: “As he was wanted for serious offences and made off into the woodland area, PD Kyp was deployed to chase and detain the man.
“PD Kyp captured him within seconds and on doing so, the man kicked Kyp in the head and body several times.
“This resulted in PD Kyp biting the man around the thigh and taking him to the floor, waiting for his handler to arrive.
“This is a great example of the type of work our officers are doing every day – arresting a dangerous domestic abuse suspect quickly. One third of all GMP arrests are made in relation to domestic abuse related offences.
“We have also managed to take a number of dangerous weapons off the streets and away from .
“Sometimes we will have to use specialist resources to detain dangerous offenders, as was done in this instance. Using a Police Dog is just one of the many resources we have at our disposal.”
If you or someone you know has been a victim of domestic abuse or sexual assault, don’t suffer in silence and report it to the police by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.
You can also report information and crimes on the GMP website (www.gmp.police.uk).
Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
There are also lots of organisations and support agencies available across Greater Manchester and nationally that can help and provide support for you.
For more information and to find the support services available to you, visit the GMP support pages.
Featured image: GMP
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Girls Aloud to release ‘Sarah’s Version’ of ‘I’ll Stand By You’ for BBC Children In Need 2024
Danny Jones
Pop royalty Girls Aloud are set to release a special edition of their 2004 song ‘I’ll Stand By You’, simply dubbed ‘Sarah’s Version’, for this year’s Children In Need broadcast.
The iconic British girl group returned earlier this year with a huge comeback nationwide tour which obviously sold out and they also won over crowds with their touching on-stage tributes to late singer Sarah Harding during their live performances.
Harding, 39, sadly passed away back in 2021 following a battle with breast cancer and was mourned across the country, especially here in the North, with a commemorative plaque and large mural of the Stockport-born songstress thrown up in her hometown back in May.
And now, as a way to help raise money for the annual BBC telethon and honour her once again, Girls Aloud will be re-releasing the well-known ballad.
‘I’ll Stand By You (Sarah’s Version)’ features Sarah on lead vocal throughout using vocals we discovered in the vault from the original recording sessions. The track played a key part in our ‘The Girls Aloud Show’ arena tour this summer & was an emotional moment for us all 🎙
Originally a cover of the 1997 track by The Pretenders and given that they were still so early into their career, the Noughties hitmakers naturally did multiple takes before landing on their final edit.
That being said, a version that has been rediscovered in digging through the archived recording sessions features Sarah Harding on lead vocals and now the band are set to let her voice shine through.
Airing for the first time on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Wednesday, 6 November, ‘Sarah’s Version’ has already gone down an instant hit 20 years from its release, with the emotional punch of hearing Harding’s clearly hitting listeners hard.
‘I’ll Stand By You’ went straight to the top of the UK Singles Chart when it was first released and was their second-ever number one. We have a very strong feeling that the importance of this re-release will see it do exactly the same – just in time for Christmas, no less.
Fans were left spellbound during what was casually referred to as ‘Sarah’s moment’ on the Girls Aloud reunion tour, where they truly did allow her singing to become the star of the show:
As if the charity single wasn’t a tear-jerking enough prospect already, ‘I’ll Stand By You – Sarah’s Version’ is also set to be released on 15 November, just two days before what would have been Harding’s 43rd birthday. We’re not crying, you are.
In aid of The Christie and the Sarah Harding Legacy Project, more than £1 million has been raised in the Stopfordian’s memory and for breast cancer awareness through initiatives like the creation of the mural and members of the hospital doing charity runs, bike rides, swims and more.
Speaking on social media, the band added: “The track played a key part in our ‘The Girls Aloud Show’ arena tour this summer & was an emotional moment for us all.”
BBC Children in Need 2024 takes place next Friday (15 November) and highlights from their reunion tour, where ‘Sarah’s Version’ was first heard by the masses, will be shown on ITV at 8pm the following Sunday.
Emily Sergeant -
18th March 2022 
